The next morning came with a heavy sky. Clouds hung low over Tokyo, casting a gray pall over the city. Ai Tsubasa walked through the school gates, ignoring the usual stares and whispers that trailed behind her. But today, something was different.
When she arrived at her classroom, there was a commotion near the front. A group of students crowded around someone at the door. As Ai stepped closer, her stomach dropped.
"Aoi Tsubasa. Nice to see you all again."
The voice was smooth, confident—arrogant, even. And unmistakably familiar.
Ai froze. There he was—Aoi Tsubasa. Her twin brother.
He stood tall, wearing the same uniform, but somehow more put together. His hair was shorter, dyed a cool ash-brown, and his smile was as disarming as ever. Students rushed to greet him like a celebrity, some even trying to snap photos before a teacher intervened.
Aoi's eyes scanned the room casually… then landed on her.
Their eyes locked—just for a moment—but it was enough.
Aoi's smile faltered, then returned, colder.
Ai looked away.
"I guess I can't hide it," Ai muttered, her voice barely audible over the buzz of her classmates. She stepped forward, expression blank, but her eyes sharp. "Brother… what are you doing here?"
The room fell completely silent.
Gasps echoed through the crowd like dropped pins. Eyes darted from Ai to Aoi.
"Brother?" one girl whispered. "They're related?"
Aoi raised a brow, clearly amused. "Oh? You're calling me 'brother' in public now?" His voice was calm, but Ai could feel the tension just beneath it. "You used to pretend I didn't exist."
"That was a long time ago," she said, her tone clipped. "We agreed to stay out of each other's way."
"We did. But I thought I'd drop by. New semester, new surprises, right?" He glanced around with a smirk. "Besides, I'm not here for you."
The teacher stepped in at last. "Enough chatter! Aoi-kun, take the empty seat by the window."
Of course—right beside Ai.
As he walked past, he leaned in close to her ear. "Still trying to control everything, Ai? Let's see how long that lasts."
Ai sat down, fingers tightening around her pen. She had come to this school to escape the shadow of her past… but now it was sitting right beside her, wearing a smile only she knew was a warning.
The rest of the class continued like a blur for Ai. The teacher's voice faded into background noise as her mind raced. She could feel Aoi's presence like a weight pressing on her side—silent, composed, but always watching.
Her twin brother.
The one person she had spent years trying to avoid.
Lunch Break
Ai stood on the rooftop, where she usually went to eat alone. The wind whipped at her long black hair as she stared over the cityscape.
She took a quiet bite of her onigiri, trying to ignore the burning question rising inside her: *Why is Aoi here? And why now?*
She didn't have to wait long.
"You still eat the same lunch," a voice said behind her.
She turned. Aoi was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, looking as relaxed as ever.
"I told you to stay out of my life," Ai said, calmly.
Aoi shrugged. "You don't get to decide everything, Ai."
"You ruined everything for me back then—don't think I've forgotten."
"Maybe I'm here to fix it," he said.
"Or maybe you're here to watch me fall again," she shot back.
They stared at each other, tension crackling in the air.
Aoi stepped closer. "Let's make one thing clear," he said, his voice low. "You think this school is yours now. But things have changed. You're not the only one who knows how to play the game."
Ai turned away, masking the sudden storm in her chest. She couldn't let him win. Not again.
---
*Flashback — Five Years Ago*
Rain pelted the quiet streets of their childhood neighborhood. Ai sat under the porch roof, legs pulled to her chest, chin resting on her knees. She watched the puddles ripple with every drop, her silence deeper than the storm.
Aoi stood behind her, drenched. His schoolbag hung loosely on his shoulder, soaked through, but he didn't seem to care.
"You told them it was me," he said quietly.
Ai didn't turn. "It was easier."
"Easier to blame me? To get them to look at you like you're perfect?" His voice cracked, frustration and betrayal threading every word. "They scolded me for hours. Said I was a disgrace. And you… you sat there, nodded along, like you had nothing to do with it."
She still didn't speak.
"You're always hiding," Aoi muttered. "Behind your grades, behind your smile. But I know who you are, Ai."
She turned slowly then, eyes cold. "And who am I?"
"Someone who will do anything to win. Even if it means throwing her own brother away."
The wind howled between them.
"I never asked to be your rival," she whispered. "But if that's what I have to be to survive, then fine. Let's see who stands at the top in the end."
Present
"I won't let you win," Said Ai & Aoi